Several years ago, we started a tradition of buying a refrigerator magnet from every place to which we’ve traveled. It started off as a quirky habit. After two successive and successful Mars landings, Spousal Unit and I went to Moorea so he could melt into a beach. The magnet of the lagoon surrounding the island was lovely but looked lonely on the refrigerator door . . . hence the tradition was born. Whether it’s a stopover in Newark, an 18-hour trip to Vancouver, Financial Black Hole #2’s seventh and eighth grade trips to France and Italy (is there a color darker than black??), or weeks visiting family in Argentina, the magnet is a must . . . and they’re all there, all eliciting specific memories.

It doesn’t have to be a magnet, though . . . it could be a trophy or a certificate. It is a snapshot of a moment in time that was meaningful. There’s a story that goes with each, whether it’s a great family vacation or a professional triumph. It’s the latter that we should be focusing on as we tell the story of our careers.

For most job-seekers, capturing the highlights of one’s career and explaining the value brought to an organization is a nail-biting experience. What do you highlight? How much is too much . . . or not enough? How do you connect your “greatest hits” with what a prospective employer is looking for?

Assuming you have grabbed the reader with your Executive Summary, how will you now move on to tell the story of what you have brought to specific organizations? There’s the technical part of the presentation, which we’ll address in the next post, but now is the time for you to determine, from a philosophical perspective, how you brought value. What made you memorable? What I find, even with the more senior resumes that are sent to me, is that many job-seekers fall into the habit of regurgitating every single thing they’ve done in each role . . . the “first I did this and then I did that” syndrome. This could have you perceived as tactical, not strategic. Do you want to be considered as someone who will act as a forward-thinking business partner for the organization or as the go-to person when something needs to get done an hour ago? Both roles bring tremendous value to organizations and there’s always overlap, but the distinction can be important. Remember, you just described yourself in a certain way in your introduction. Make sure how you are describing your experience matches that message.

Pull out those specific experiences that made the role – and you – memorable . . . just like that magnet on your refrigerator.